Council bosses have defended road layout changes in Accrington town centre after critics labelled it a ‘dogs dinner’.

Conservative group leader Tony Dobson said the works have ‘left many residents and business owners angry’ and claims a lack of consultation has left the council looking ‘unprofessional and incompetent’.

Coun Dobson claimed the Conservative group had not been informed of many of the changes and said it was a ‘disgrace and a whitewash’.

He told a council meeting: “Regular as clockwork I met with the leader of the council about his suggestions for the opening of the space outside the Yorkshire Bank. Never once did he say Holme Street was going to be turned.

“It was going to stay in that direction to get traffic from one side of Accrington to the new bus station as quickly as possible.

“This is a dogs dinner. It stinks.”

Councillor Clare Cleary, portfolio holder for regeneration, defended the council’s consultation exercise and said the plans have ‘been in the public domain since June 2015’.

She told the council meeting that discussions had taken place with the Chamber of Trade, a walkabout was held with local businesses and consultation events were run in the Market Hall attracting nearly 400 responses.

Coun Cleary said the changes to the highways have been made through a temporary traffic regulation order (TRO).

She said: “This is a consultation exercise for six months where feedback needs to go back to county council.

“The other option is to keep talking about the plans but never implement them.

“The changes to St James Street had to be done quickly to coincide with the opening of the new bus station.

“It was a now or never decision and the consensus from the consultation held included the Chamber of Trade and they thought it was a good idea.

“I do think we have carried out a good range of consultation events and reached several hundred people in the process, probably more than most projects.”